Checking a background loop beneath narration

Harrykl

While testing a generated ambience in a game scene, I noticed a faint tick at each repeat. The recording has a quiet grainy layer throughout, so I am trying to separate two possible problems. Changing the endpoints and testing a small crossfade seems like a reasonable place to begin. I found a reference to ai audio artifact removal during my search, but the editing order still matters. At this stage I cannot tell whether the tick is embedded in the recording or introduced by my loop setup. Would you inspect the boundary first and then audition a longer uninterrupted section? Keeping an untouched source would let me undo the endpoint changes without guessing. The test should also use the same playback path as the game, since editor playback alone may miss something. What evidence would convince you that broader cleanup is appropriate after the seam has been checked?